Awesome Weekend

What a wonderful weekend in W. Springfield, Mass.!! Pending AKC confirmation, Magnum is now GRAND Champion Blacksheep Smoking Gun. He was Best of Breed at the supported entry on Saturday to finish his title in style. As an added bonus, his breeder Joanna Kimball was there to see him finish, making it even more special.

Photo by Joanna Kimball

Not to be outdone, Heathcliffe’s dad Calvin, owned and handled by Melanie Chiappone and bred by Kristle Dougherty and Cheryl Black, was Select Dog on Friday and Saturday and Best of Breed on Sunday to complete HIS Grand Championship as well. And Eva, Calvin’s mom and Heathcliffe’s grandma, was Select Bitch.

Heathcliffe made the trip with me to get some exposure to the dog show scene. He was obviously very stressed out about the whole thing:

Passed out with his head in his bowl.

Sound asleep next to his Dad in the next crate.

Between learning to walk on a leash like a big boy and going up to greet strangers with a wagging tail, I couldn’t be more proud of my little home-bred guy. I could, however, do without him telling Akitas and the like about how he is all that and a bag of chips.

This weekend was the first time I took a “client” dog with me to show, and I’ve got to say, it was a pretty good first time. Cannon, AKA the Big Hairy Dog, was WD/BOW/BOB all three days, earning his first three singles on the way to his Championship out of the 9-12 month puppy class. I’m kind of hoping I’ll get to take him further! Although I’m sure Melanie is hoping that it won’t be in the camper — the only place big enough to put him on the trip down was on her bed!!

The Big Hairy Dog

All in all, it was a great trip with great friends and some nice wins. Lorrie Blocker was BOB over specials two of the three days with her handsome Brittany Simon; he might have made a clean sweep of it if not for the birds landing IN THE RING while he was showing. Silly judge — Simon wasn’t misbehaving, he was showing great bird instinct!!

Pixie Lauer’s bitch Lucy, out of the Narnia litter, was WB on Friday and Sunday. Lucy is coming along splendidly and I’m secretly hoping I’ll get to show her at some of the upcoming shows. Lucy’s mom, Megan, was Select Bitch on Friday as well.

Bev Reid finished Camden’s Championship in style by going Best of Breed over Specials on Friday. Camden was bred by Nancy Cunliffe and is a litter brother to her boy Sullivan.

Colin, Liz Lewis’ boy, was Select on Sunday, the only day he showed. Colin was bred by Cheryl Black.

Cheryl also came out of the weekend with another Grand Champion, wire-haired Dachshund Hobbit. Congrats to all!

Speaking of Cheryl, she presented me with a wonderful surprise: a new grooming table in my favorite color, turquoise!! It is absolutely gorgeous and I can’t thank her enough for it! As if that wasn’t enough, she also gave me a turquoise and white grooming noose that I was coveting. What a generous friend!

I’m sure I’m leaving someone off of my list of congrats, for which I apologize. The sleeping in this morning didn’t quite offset the sleep deprivation!!